Transmitting a packet via a wireless local area network after a delay

Abstract

Methods of operating an electronic device are provided. A method of operating a first electronic device that is connected to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) may include listening for a wireless transmission by a second electronic device on a wireless communications channel. The method may include beginning a randomized delay period in response to determining that the wireless communications channel is clear. Moreover, the method may include transmitting a packet to an access point of the WLAN via the wireless communications channel after the randomized delay period. Related electronic devices and computer program products are also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of operating a first electronic device, the method comprising:
 listening for a wireless transmission by a second electronic device on a wireless communications channel; 
 determining whether a packet is a small packet; 
 assigning a randomized time delay value that defines a randomized delay period, in response to determining that the packet is a small packet; 
 beginning the randomized delay period in response to determining that the wireless communications channel is clear; and 
 transmitting the packet via the wireless communications channel based on expiration of the randomized delay period. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the small packet is smaller than 350 bytes, 
 wherein the small packet comprises an unaggregated streaming video uplink data packet or an unaggregated acknowledgement packet that is responsive to downlink video traffic, and 
 wherein transmitting the packet comprises transmitting the unaggregated streaming video uplink data packet or the unaggregated acknowledgement packet that is responsive to downlink video traffic via the wireless communications channel based on the expiration of the randomized delay period. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the packet comprises a first uplink packet of the first electronic device, 
 wherein the randomized delay period comprises a first randomized delay period, 
 wherein the wireless transmission by the second electronic device comprises a first wireless transmission by the second electronic device on the wireless communications channel, and 
 wherein the method further comprises:
 listening for a second wireless transmission by the second electronic device or by a third electronic device on the wireless communications channel; 
 beginning a second randomized delay period in response to listening for the second wireless transmission and determining that the wireless communications channel is clear; and 
 transmitting a second uplink packet via the wireless communications channel based on expiration of the second randomized delay period. 
 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 ,
 wherein the first and second randomized delay periods comprise different first and second quantities of time, respectively, and 
 wherein transmitting the second uplink packet comprises transmitting the second uplink packet via the wireless communications channel based on the expiration of the second randomized delay period that comprises the second quantity of time that is different from the first quantity of time of the first randomized delay period. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the packet comprises a first uplink packet of the first electronic device, 
 wherein the wireless transmission by the second electronic device comprises a first wireless transmission by the second electronic device on the wireless communications channel, and 
 wherein the method further comprises:
 listening for a second wireless transmission by the second electronic device or by a third electronic device on the wireless communications channel; 
 beginning a static delay period in response to listening for the second wireless transmission and determining that the wireless communications channel is clear; and 
 transmitting a second uplink packet via the wireless communications channel after the static delay period. 
 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the first uplink packet comprises a first size that is smaller than a second size of the second uplink packet, 
 wherein the randomized delay period comprises a first quantity of time that is different from a second quantity of time of the static delay period, 
 wherein transmitting the second uplink packet comprises transmitting the second uplink packet via the wireless communications channel after the static delay period that comprises the second quantity of time that is different from the first quantity of time of the randomized delay period, and 
 wherein the method further comprises selecting the static delay period in response to determining that the second uplink packet is not a small packet. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein transmitting the packet comprises transmitting the packet to an access point of a wireless network via the wireless communications channel based on the expiration of the randomized delay period, and 
 wherein the method further comprises receiving signaling from the access point of the wireless network regarding uplink packet randomized time delays. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein receiving the signaling comprises receiving a command from the access point of the wireless network to enable or disable the uplink packet randomized time delays. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , wherein receiving the signaling comprises receiving signaling from the access point of the wireless network providing one or more parameters regarding time delay values defining the uplink packet randomized time delays. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the first electronic device comprises one of a plurality of electronic devices connected to the wireless network, 
 wherein receiving the signaling comprises receiving signaling, from the access point of the wireless network, that is based on traffic from the plurality of electronic devices connected to the wireless network, and 
 wherein the method further comprises selecting a time delay value among a plurality of time delay values that define respective ones of the uplink packet randomized time delays, in response to receiving the signaling from the access point of the wireless network that is based on the traffic from the plurality of electronic devices connected to the wireless network. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the randomized delay period comprises a randomized Inter-Frame Spacing (IFS) delay period that is longer than a Short IFS (SIFS) delay period, and 
 wherein transmitting the packet comprises transmitting the packet via the wireless communications channel after the randomized IFS delay period. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining whether the packet is a delay-sensitive uplink packet; and 
 assigning the randomized time delay value that defines the randomized delay period, in response to determining that the packet is a delay-sensitive uplink packet. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising selecting a particular distribution among a plurality of different distributions of randomized values, wherein the randomized delay period is defined by one of the randomized values of the particular distribution. 
     
     
       14. A first electronic device, comprising:
 a network interface connected to an antenna and configured to provide a wireless communications interface; and 
 a processor circuit configured to:
 control listening, via the network interface, for a wireless transmission by a second electronic device on a wireless communications channel; 
 begin a randomized delay period in response to determining that the wireless communications channel is clear; and 
 control transmission, via the network interface, of an uplink acknowledgement packet that is responsive to downlink traffic, via the wireless communications channel based on expiration of the randomized delay period. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The electronic device of  claim 14 , wherein the processor circuit is further configured to:
 determine whether the uplink packet is a small packet; and 
 assign a randomized time delay value that defines the randomized delay period, in response to determining that the uplink packet is a small packet. 
 
     
     
       16. The electronic device of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the small packet comprises an unaggregated streaming video uplink data packet or an unaggregated acknowledgement packet that is responsive to downlink video traffic, and 
 wherein the processor circuit is configured to transmit the packet by transmitting, via the network interface, the unaggregated streaming video uplink data packet or the unaggregated acknowledgement packet that is responsive to downlink video traffic via the wireless communications channel based on the expiration of the randomized delay period. 
 
     
     
       17. A computer program product, comprising:
 a tangible, non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable program code therein that when executed by a processor of a first electronic device causes the processor to perform operations comprising:
 controlling listening, via a network interface configured to provide a wireless communications interface, for a wireless transmission by a second electronic device on a wireless communications channel; 
 beginning a randomized delay period in response to determining that the wireless communications channel is clear; and 
 controlling transmission, via the network interface, of an uplink acknowledgement packet that is responsive to downlink traffic, via the wireless communications channel based on expiration of the randomized delay period. 
 
 
     
     
       18. The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the computer readable program code, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:
 determining whether the packet is a small packet; and 
 assigning a randomized time delay value that defines the randomized delay period, in response to determining that the packet is a small packet. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the packet comprises transmitting the packet to an access point of a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) via the wireless communications channel based on the expiration of the randomized delay period. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the small packet comprises an uplink acknowledgement packet that is responsive to downlink traffic, and 
 wherein transmitting the packet comprises transmitting the uplink acknowledgement packet via the wireless communications channel based on the expiration of the randomized delay period.